UK takes No. 5 spot in preseason poll
Kentucky head coach John Calipari yells at the wildcats during the Kentucky Cares Classic charity game against Morehead State at Rupp Arena on Monday, October 30, 2017 in Lexington, Ky. Kentucky won 92 to 67. Photo by Arden Barnes | Staff
November 1, 2017
With basketball season almost a week away, the UK men’s basketball team was ranked in the No. 5 spot in the Associated Press’ preseason Top 25 poll.
It’s the seventh straight season that the Cats ranked in the top five of the preseason poll. Only Duke, Michigan State, Arizona and Kansas are ranked ahead of UK.
The Cats were the only top five-ranked team that didn’t receive a first place vote. Duke received 33 of the 65 first-place votes, while No. 3 Arizona got the second most first-place votes with 18.
The Cats will play six opponents ranked in the top 25, including three who rank in the top 11. The Cats’ third regular season game of the season will be against No. 4 Kansas in the Champions Classic in Chicago.
The Cats have one more exhibition game against Centre College before opening up their regular season against Utah Valley on Nov. 10